The past few days has seen several stories worth commentary. Below you will find topics and links to the appropriate news stories... I invite you to comment on any or all of the topics....

1. Presidential Debate # 2: According to several news and media outlet polls the general public feels that Governor Romney out performed the President in the first debate, but President Obama won the second. How do you think the candidates performed? Did anything during the debate change your mind? Anything surprise you? Provide some general thoughts...

3. Mass. Crime Lab Scandal: Civil Rights activists are calling for the release of potentially hundreds of inmates convicted in connection with disgraced Boston State Chemist Annie Dookhan who has admitted to tampering with evidence in order to put offenders behind bars... now every case in which she had a part is open to potential retrial and or reversal.

Now I'm going to comment on the Second Presidential Debate that Obama won! Now I am a Democrat, so what I say is because I am one. Romney lied a lot in his speeches, and the commentator called him out on it and so did Obama. He keeps saying "I have a plan...I know what it'll take...I know it will work..." BUT HE NEVER ANSWERS THE WHOLE QUESTION with intelligent answers that doesn't sound like a 10 year old kid trying to beat around the bush. Oh, and don't even get me started on him interrupting the commentator the whole time, it gets me very mad. I think that after that stupid choice by Biden last week, Obama voters have a lot more to work with now.

Mikaela period 1

10/17/2012 09:35:23 am

I would of thought that we would never get an earthquake. But sometimes things happen. I didn't feel it at all. I was not afraid because i did not feel anything. If there was a more scarier earthquake i think i would know what to do. get as far away from it as possible pack up belongings and listen to the radio to check up on daily news.

Dylan Pontes

10/17/2012 11:18:41 am

Yesterday when there was an earthquake I didn't even know until the next hour when my friend was talking about it. I was upstairs when it happened and I heard my bed shake but I thought it was just one of my pets running around. I didn't feel anything but I'm sure I would feel a bigger one. I would have no idea what to do if there was a large earthquake. I never thought we had to worry about them, but i guess I was wrong. Maybe now I should go and learn what to do in case a really big earthquake does happen around here.

Talaiha per 4

10/17/2012 10:37:55 pm

No one even felt that earthquake here. And almost every one was talking about it on facebook and twitter. people are saying i survived the earthquake. Its amazing how people are saying that when we had a small earthquake and some people have to lose there homes in earthquakes and we didn't even fell it.

Danika Wayss Period 6

10/18/2012 12:17:40 am

I am surprised to here some people felt the earthquake on Tuesday. I wonder why some people could feel it and others cannot. Everyone is probably talking about it because earthquakes are so rare in the North East. I personally felt nothing and neither did anyone in my house; however a few summers ago I was at a state pier when the earth shook and I could feel it. I think the reason I could feel it then was because the pillars that were supporting the pier were dug deep into the sand.

Ethan Schneider period 1

10/18/2012 09:48:40 am

Barrack Obama for sure won the second debate. I dislike Romney and I feel everything he says is a lie. I mean Obama has said some stuff he couldn't do, but that's only because he was left with the economy in such bad shape. And also suddenly Romney cares about the middle class the closer we get to election day. Go Obama!

Alexis Lavallee period 5

10/18/2012 09:59:51 am

I watched the debate Tuesday night and I would completely agree that Obama won. I don't favor one candidate over the other and I'm not exactly decided on my political party, but Obama definitely captured my attention. Romney was full of "I knows" but he never actually told us how he planned to carry out his promises. Obama certainly had the upper hand in this debate...in my opinion, of course.

Tiana Dickenson Period 4

10/18/2012 08:30:03 pm

I didn't feel the earthquake but depending on where you live you either felt a little alot or nothing. I asked my grandma if she felt it and she did she aid she felt it alot and no one would believe her that there was an earthquake. I didn't know we had one until my mom told me. some people on facebook and twitter were joking around with it sayingmy whole house shook or i survived the earthquake. while others were annoyed with those people but i heard on the radion that a while back there was a big earthquake in boston in 1755 and the radio host said that it is supposed to come every300 years but i don't think its true

tiana p. 4

10/18/2012 08:31:38 pm

it is also funny how they make you go under soething when there is an earthquake

Travis period 6

10/19/2012 08:03:28 am

I think the presidential debate was just bad. Romney and Obama acted like jerks talking too long and talking over the moderator. One thing i thought was really stupid where the questions that were asked. I think Obama won though. He wasn't asleep like in the last election.

Travis period 6

10/19/2012 08:04:13 am

sorry i meant debate

Christina Genuario Period 6

10/20/2012 11:04:23 am

I didn't feel the earthquake, but I was at a volleyball game in the stands when it happened. If the stands or floor shook, I probably wouldn't have been able to sense it because of all the noise. My sister felt it though, and she f r e a k e d out. I would not have known what to do. Thankfully the earthquake wasn't that big. New England doesn't usually get big earthquakes though.

Daniel Peladeau Period 6

10/21/2012 12:03:38 am

I personally didn't feel the earthquake, but my brother and dad both felt it in the living room while I was in the basement. They started yelling down the stairs asking what I was doing, but we soon found out that Maine had an earthquake. Thankfully, the earthquake was only a 4.0 so no one was seriously injured. Hopefully, New England won't get any earthquakes for a couple more years, but we always have minor earthquakes that we just don't feel in our homes.

Devon Per 6

10/21/2012 05:28:43 am

I'm going to comment on the earthquake. I didn't feel a thing when the earthquake happened, and i don't know why. I mean is my house made of like 10 foot think steel or something? But still if I did feel it I wouldn't be that scared, because it would only last like 5 seconds and probably wouldn't cause any damage

Nicole Langlois period 4

10/22/2012 09:22:21 am

For the debate, I hate to say it but Obama out classed Governor Romney. The Governor kept interrupting which is rude when it was the presidents turn to speak about a topic.
Also, the earthquake was in Maine so it was more of the after effects that hit us. I didn't feel anything at my house, and if there was ever a real earthquake only my dad would know what to do and I wouldn't

Nicolle P.3

10/22/2012 10:52:55 am

Let me just start by saying, the presidential debates, as serious as they are for our country's future, are a good laugh! It's entertaining to watch Obama and Romney beat around the bush, and avoid directly answering any questions. Basically, the debates are each candidate pointing out the flaws of his opponent and making himself look good from his opponenets mistakes. I like watching the debates to catch myself up on what's going on, but I also like watching them to laugh at their petty arguments.

Cara Period 2

10/24/2012 08:53:08 am

This goes toward the "earthquake" that everyone and their mother heard. I do not llike when people freak out when they supposedly heard a big earthquake.... People, imagine if you were in a situation close to the origin. the earthquake could kill you. Half the time, i feel as if people make up that they felt these earthquakes just for attention.

Ryan Grundy period 4

10/24/2012 09:44:22 am

I did not feel the earthquake and while it was happening i was in the shower so i didnt notice it. if there were a bigger earthquake i would no what to do because i went on vacation in californiua before and felt one like every other day and i was there for about a month so i have experince with earthquakes

Steven Johnson

10/29/2012 12:40:09 am

I felt that Obama won the second debate over Romney. He came out this debate with much more fire inside of him. He called Romney out on all of these statements he has made up without having a plan for them. I think Obama is a much better president than Romney could ever be. I believe that Romney does not care about the middle class, and only wants to give benefits for the rich. Obama is trying his best to save the middle class, and get the economy out of the mess that it was in when he first took office.

Claudia period 6

10/29/2012 08:38:52 am

It's weird how stuff like earthquakes never seem real until they actually happen to you or somewhere near you. You always think, oh well that'll never happen to me. I didn't actually feel the earthquake, but a lot of people seemed to.

Mackenzie Egan Period 6

10/29/2012 10:08:06 am

i know this is about 3 weeks after, but i did feel the earthquake. When i felt it, i completely froze because i was so shocked about what was going on. Good thing it wasn't bad, because if it was bad i'd be in some trouble.

BriAN per 4

11/3/2012 08:02:02 pm

I think that it is intersting that some people in RI could feel it but some couldnt, i couldnt feel anything but i know people who did.

Bronwyn P.1

11/6/2012 08:46:55 am

Everyone was talking about how we "survived" an earthquack as a joke when in reality people in other places lost their homes do to this earthquack.

Katie Lundin (p. 6)

11/8/2012 06:33:54 am

That was the second earthquake I've ever felt. The other one was the earthquake in Washington. This one was definitely the bigger of the two. Both earthquakes scared me so much. My wall behind my bed started shaking and i was freaking out. I never thought that there would be earthquakes in Rhode Island. I know a lot of people didn't feel it but trust me, my house felt it.